Rising Levels
by MusicLoveandMagic
Summary: Sonic tries to stop Robotnik taking over the world. This time there's a trap and water. Lots and lots of water. (Sequel to 'Hedgehogs Of The Drunken Variety' but can be read as stand alone.)(A small amount of Sonadow for good health.)


**Hey guys! I'm back with another Sonic one shot. As before, I don't know much about the details in the fandom so I apologise if I get any facts wrong. Everything I know was taught to me by my cousins so yeah... Enjoy!**

**Trigger warning: drowning and death**

* * *

"Well, this is a complication." Sonic taps his foot, watching everything unfurl through the glass.

Not original but apparently effective, Robotnik really went out of his way this time to trap Sonic in a truly inventive way. Eh, not. A glass cylinder is really really not a new idea and has been done before. Along with his plan to dominate the world.

"Too complicated for you, hedgehog?" Robotnik laughs, still under the impression he's winning. How could he be winning when Sonic rigged all his planes to explode in two minutes time? He even planned the explosion to affect the surrounding area which probably will break the glass.

"Nah, just enjoying the view." Sonic jumps up and suspends himself with his shoulders and feet on the glass, trying to look like he's relaxing in a chair.

"You won't be." Robotnik says and raises a remote to the sky. There's a huge bang as lightning explodes across the skyline, followed by thunder and first drops of rain.

"I'm not scared of storms." Sonic frowns, a little confused. "You need to get your facts straight." He shrugs, the cocky grin returning straight away.

"But you are scared of water." Robotnik says and it is this point that Sonic realises there's a opening at the top of the cylinder. Rain falls down fast and heavy and even in seconds, Sonic is standing in a puddle.

"Ah." Sonic looks down at the water. "Ah." It's alright. Tails will save him… but Tails' plane is missing a wing. Knuckles… Knuckles isn't even around currently. "Ah." He says again and Robotnik laughs.

"Have fun, Sonic." He grins wickedly then walks away towards the planes.

Sonic is beginning to panic as the water level rises. By the time it reaches his knees, he's panicking a lot. He can't reach the top of the cylinder to pull himself out and he can't break the glass, no matter how hard he hits it. The water just keeps rising.

When the water reaches Sonic's shoulders, he's struggling, eyes wide with fear. If there's one thing he can't manage, it's water. He could swim but the glass is so tall and he can't bear the thought.

"I'm going to die." He mutters to himself, damp gloves pressed to the glass. "I'm not ready to die."

Robotnik's ships haven't exploded yet and Sonic is beginning to doubt himself. Did he set the self-destruct on?

The water has reached his chin and the blue hedgehog has his head tilted back to keep his mouth in the air.

_Just keep calm and swim_, he tells himself, using the edge of the tank to keep his head above the water level.

There's a screech as his hands slip and he drops into the water. Reaching towards air, Sonic desperately claws his way to the surface, breathing hard.

If he can stay on the surface then he can climb out the top, right?

He looks up and watches escape draw closer as he kicks furiously, dropping back under the water occasionally as he scrabbles at the glass.

Sonic can almost reach the edge of the cylinder and he pushes as hard as he can to grab it but a lid slides across it before he can get out. He hits the seal hard and falls back down into the water, all hope of escape gone. Still he struggles on, losing his grip on the slippery surface, the cylinder more like a tank now. A hedgehog tank.

Sonic almost can't believe it. He's been bested by Robotnik and the planes still haven't exploded.

Choking on the water when it fills his mouth, it feels like death on his tongue and darkness follows soon after. He can vaguely hear explosions as the world just fades away, falling like water over a waterfall.

* * *

_"Hey, kid. Quit following me." Sonic turns and rounds on the fox kit. It's almost a ball of fur and now it's a sad ball of fur. _

_"But- but-" it stammers, voice so high it's difficult- but not impossible- to tell it's male. _

_"Look. It's weird to stalk people. Especially when you're, what, four?" Sonic points out and the kit looks down at his bare paws._

_"But no one else will talk to me and you're the only cool person around here." He says, on the verge of tears. _

_Sonic feels bad for the little guy as he sniffles in front of him, all scrawny and mangled. _

_"Oh alright!" He sighs and the fox raises his head so quickly that it could snap. _

_"Yay! My names Tails. Pleased to meet you." _

_"Sonic and back at you."_

* * *

_"Tails! Could do with a little help now, brother." Sonic calls out, dropping through the air like a stone. The ground is approaching fast and he can most definitely see water below. _

_"I'm trying but the winds too strong. Hang on, Sonic!" Tails calls back but the water getting closer and closer._

_"Tails!" Sonic yelps before he hits the lake with a massive splash. Everything suddenly becomes smaller and the surface disappears. Sonic reaches up but can't… quite… reach._

_Sonic._

_Sonic._

* * *

"Sonic! For chaos sake." Sonic's eyes shoot open as he's punched hard in the chest. He inhales audibly then leans forward, choking on all the water inside him until he's spat it all out onto the grass before him. He's still coughing as he falls back against the ground, hands by his sides.

"Shadow?" He frowns, looking up at the black hedgehog kneeling beside him, one hand clenched into a fist and the other on Sonic's shoulder.

"You're welcome." Shadow says gruffly, sitting back against his heels.

"You- you saved me?" Sonic is a little surprised. Shadow isn't normally even around this area anyway.

"I owed you." Shadow answers, not meeting Sonic's gaze as Sonic sits up again slowly.

"From what?" What could he possibly have done that Shadow would be grateful for?

"You're shaking. Are you cold?" Shadow changes the subject and it's the first time Sonic notices the shudders running through his body.

"I have water phobia." He says and then makes a rather undignified squeak when Shadow hugs him. "Is something wrong with you? You're being nice."

"Rouge does this to me after I- I remember distressing things. It helps." Shadow says, voice as level as always.

They sit there on the grass for a good two minutes, Sonic resting his head on Shadow's shoulder as his shaking subsides.

"Thank you, Shadow. For saving me." Sonic mutters, pulling back and searching his friend's face for any sign of emotion.

"I believe the expression is anytime." Shadow's face is almost entirely blank but he seems a little more relaxed than usual. He gets to his feet and pulls Sonic up with him. "See you around… faker."

"We are **not** having this argument now!" Sonic puts his hands on his hips but he finds himself smiling, biting back a laugh.

Shadow nods before racing away, gliding over the grass with ease. Sonic turns and runs the other way, keen to get back home and forget all of that just happened. Well, maybe not all of it.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it and it wasn't _too _bad.**

**Feel free to favourite and review as it means a lot. Thanks!**

**Libs ~MusicLoveAndMagic~**


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